. >> i want to -- you look at all the numbers we got this week, the gdp report, the economy technically shrinking by 0.1 for the fourth quarter and most of it being chalked up to government -- to the lack of government spending particularly in the defense industry. and yet there were other parts of it in the private sector that looked strong. what's the reality here? are we an economy that's growing, that's recovering, or are we in an economy that's still on shaky ground? >> we're growing and we're recovering. the economy as measured by, say, gdp, that's kind of the economy's bottom line, that's the value of all the things we produce, that's been going 2%, 2.5%, and i don't think it's changed, that's about what we're growing right now. that's okay. but it's certainly not good enough in the context of the 7%, now 7.9% unemployment rate. yes, the economy is growing. yes, with each passing month we're on more sound ground but, you know, i don't think anyone's going to feel really good until unemployment is below 6%. >> and the big issue continues, one of the odd issues has to be consumer c